


I’ll Be There the Whole Time

by whatisreggieshortfor



Series: Pretend Pretenders [9]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:48:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27292960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatisreggieshortfor/pseuds/whatisreggieshortfor
Summary: Nick gets Reggie home, and Reggie questions why Nick cares.
Relationships: Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Nick/Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Series: Pretend Pretenders [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1989880
Comments: 25
Kudos: 133
Collections: Kelly's Picks





	I’ll Be There the Whole Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wisegirl38](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wisegirl38/gifts).



Julie was terrified as she drove, but she kept the car on the road. Nick had leaned forward, tucking Reggie’s flannel over the side of his body he wasn’t bleeding on. He pulled his phone out, calling his dad and telling him what happened. Soon enough, Julie was pulling the car into her driveway. “Dad!” She yelled but he was already out the door, Nick was cradling Reggie out of the car. Ray moved to take his son, but Nick wouldn’t let him go. Ray changed his efforts, instead leading them into the house and to the couch. Nick asked him to lay down a towel, but Ray just waved him off, saying the couch didn’t matter. Nick laid Reggie down, maneuvering his head into his lap. Carlos came running in with a first aid kit. Ryan was still at the door, ushering a woman with dark hair in. For a second, Nick flinched over as she rushed up to him, until he recognized his Aunt Vanessa. She was a doctor. Everyone in the room tensed when he flinched, but he gave a shaky laugh and waved her over. Nick carded his fingers on his unsplinted hand through Reggie’s hair as the boy in his lap just stared at the wall, his fingers twitching. Nick started humming the country song he had sung for him in the hallway as his aunt cleaned Reggie’s face. Everyone was silent, Carlos was crying into Ray’s shoulder, and Ryan was holding Julie’s hand as her own tears fell. Slowly, Reggie started to look up at the sound, blinking his eyes as Nick’s face came into view.

“Nick?” His voice cracked, suddenly Reggie flying into a sitting position, grabbing Nick’s face softly, “Baby, you’re bleeding!” Reggie froze a second but Nick just gave him a shy smile.

“I know, babe, I’m okay. Don’t you worry. This is my Aunt Vanessa.” Nick gestured to the woman, “I need you to let her finish fixing you up. Can you do that? I’ll stay with you the whole time.” Reggie nodded, so Nick laid his head back in his lap, carding through his hair again. “Go ahead.” He directed at his aunt, before humming the song again. Reggie closed his eyes, tapping out the rhythm on Nick’s thigh. Nick looked up, stiffening when he remembered the other people in the room, but he didn’t stop humming. Ray was smiling through his tears, and Julie was giving him a supportive smile. His own dad was laughing a little to himself. Vanessa finished on Reggie, moving to look at Nick’s head. She ended up needing to pull glass shards out, but Nick didn’t wince. He just kept humming for Reggie. After she was done, Reggie sat up but didn’t let go of Nick. Vanessa took pictures of the injuries, giving Nick a hug before telling Ryan she’d email him the pictures and paperwork and left.

“I’m sorry, everyone.” Reggie muttered quietly. Nick saw his dad’s eyes widen as Julie and Ray shook their heads with soft smiles.

Nick made Reggie look at him, “It is not your fault. You didn’t ask for any of this.”

“Why do you care so much?” Reggie’s voice cracked, and Nick knew he needed to be honest.

He glanced at the others before looking back at Reggie, “Because I’m in love with you, Reggie.” Nick heard a couple sharp intakes of breath, but he could only focus on Reggie. “I never meant to yell at you, and I never wanted to fake date. I wanted to date you for real, but I was a coward. That’s why I care so much. I love you.” Reggie was crying, staring at Nick with his mouth hanging slightly open. “It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way, Reg. Just don’t ever think that people don’t care or that you deserve this. Nobody could deserve this less than you.” Reggie pressed a kiss to Nick’s cheek.

“I love you, too.” Reggie seemed to remember the others were there as he glanced at them with flushing cheeks.

“It’s okay, son.” Ray smiled. He turned to Ryan, “Might it be okay if Nick stays here tonight? After the day these kids had, I think they could use it.”

Ryan nodded, “It’s no problem. I’ll bring Chad by tomorrow and us dads can have ‘a get to know each other’ brunch.”

“That sounds great.” Ray glanced at his son sitting on the couch. “Thank you so much.” The tears were back in his eyes.

“I’ll do anything I can to keep him home.” Ryan gave Nick a hug, telling him to behave and he’d pick him up tomorrow. Ray let Carlos give Reggie a quick hug before sending him up to bed. Ray gave Reggie a hug of his own, telling them to lock the door and get him if they needed him before heading to bed. Julie just smiled, giving Reggie a wink before heading to her own room.

“Uh, we didn’t really get an option here.” Reggie muttered, and suddenly he and Nick were laughing. It took a few minutes before they could calm down. Reggie got to his feet, offering Nick his hand. The blonde blushed a little bit, taking his hand and standing. Reggie led Nick up the stairs and down the hall to his room. Nick turned around slowly as Reggie went to his dresser. The room was very neat with deep blue walls already covered in posters and pictures. Nick looked back at Reggie as he held out pajamas to him. Nick didn’t really think about as he took them, pulling his shirt over his head. When he went to grab the t shirt Reggie had given him, he realized Reggie was standing there, staring at him with parted lips and a blush high on his cheeks. It may have been the hit to the head that made him feel braver, but he took a step closer to Reggie.

“See something you like?” He smirked. Reggie continued to stare, the blush getting deeper. Nick took another step forward, coming an inch or two from Reggie’s face. “Just tell me what you want, babe. Anything.”

Reggie surged forward the extra inch, crushing his lips to Nick’s. Nick pressed back eagerly, knocking Reggie back into his wall. Reggie gasped, and Nick slipped his tongue into his mouth, tightening his hands in the taller boy’s shirt while Reggie held his waist. Nick pulled back after another second, breathing hard as he brushed his fingers over Reggie’s cheeks. Reggie’s eyes darted around Nick’s face, “I love you, Nick.”

Nick pressed a chaste kiss to Reggie’s lips. “I love you, too, Reg.”


End file.
